“The Party Constitution says that officials (like me) are allowed to disagree publicly with party policy so long as they make clear that it is their individual position – which I did – and they do not bring the party into disrepute – which I didn’t.”

“When I asked why Nigel could comment on drugs and prostitution I was told it was ‘in line with party policy.’ I happily tweeted about it only to be told I wasn’t allowed to, by Steve Crowther. Further action that followed was to remove me from my post in a unanimous vote. The email explaining the decision told me it was about policy issues.

“Later, John Arnott, the party secretary, emailed me citing party rules and saying that I was persistently causing trouble.

“I am sure I will find out what the official line from the party is. I am sure they won’t want me to come off looking good from it and them looking bad. I am a 21-year-old recent graduate who said what I had said many times before, something that I truly believe in.

“Before any of this had even broken I have received emails from UKIP NEC members calling me stupid and had comments on the private members forum attacking me for supporting equal marriage and have apparently now been called politically inept by my own party.”

Mr Neville concluded his article by writing:

“UKIP were the only party I believed in and trusted, I thought a party that campaigned for democracy and free speech would advocate something similar for its members, especially the youth wing. I feel let down and naive.

“I have always wanted to believe UKIP is the libertarian party it says it is, but with socially conservative candidates getting away with comments that many find abhorrent whilst libertarian members like myself get heavily attacked.

“I can no longer convince myself it truly is. While UKIP is the only party fighting for true freedom and democracy on issues like the EU when it comes to Equal Marriage UKIP is on the wrong side of public opinion and the wrong side of history.”

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